The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-02-18
cHAMoIs HUNTING.


Little Animal
Perhaps the most difficult hunting
IN all Europe. said friend. lis ex-
pcrienced in following the chamois.
They have been chased from time i'm
memorial. and now are TO be found
only on the most PERCEPTIONS cliffs.
where only those can venture who are
educated up 10 it from youth. Some
years ago l spent a winter in the heart
OF the Alpine country. and made up
my mind that would have chamois
| pronounced sham-wah) head to deco
rate my study. got il, and also nearly
left my bones in the Alps. and
wouldn't undertake the trip again for
| any induccment-
| II secured a guide. said to be the
best in the country for that sport. and
one beautiful morning we started out.
ready for three days tramp. 1 carry
ing only my light rifle. NY guide said
he had seen q buck several days before
on . cliff that encircled mountain
about ten miles away. and toward this
spot we started. and by four in the
afternoon we were well up the mount
ain. So rough was the country and
climbing. that we tied ourselves to-
gether by long rope. and found that.
even though carrying the traps. my
guide could stiIl help me along occa-
sionally.
Finally we reached = spot where
we could see the cliffs. It was n sheer
wall Of rock three thousand feet high,
without sign Of place where a foot
hold could be gained. and utterly I'M
approachable to my inexperienced eyes.
While we We're resting. my companion
took out his glass. and after looking
through il for few moments. he grasped
me by the arm and pointed 10 the highest
spot on the ledge. Taking the instrn-
ment. soon saw my first live ehamois.
1t was a fine buck. and could distinct
~ see the black horns as they projected
over the edge. rs the little creature was
lying on the very verge Of the preci-
pice. with its head partly hanging over.
and my guide said that several more
were probably in the rear.
THE sight Of the game refreshed us.
and we commenced the ascent again.
ana after an hours hard climbing.
found that there was absolutely no
way Of reaching the locality IL the
game except BY going above. and be-
ing lowered down to ledge just above
them This. in a moment Of foolhardi-
ness. determined TO do. and by max
ing long dctour and going up another
thousand feet. we found ourselves up
on an irregular plateau. that we esti-
mated must be directly over the ami
mails. and not five hundred yards
away.
The descent from here TO the lower
ledge that was above the chamois was
PERCEPTIONS in the extreme. and every
step was made with the greatest care,
the guide holding back on the rope as
] went ahead
I'VE were fearful that 4 stone would
start and alarm the herd. bu: finally
we reached the spot. and looking over
the edge-that was 50 tremendous Al
abyss that the trees in the valley be-
low looked like small bushes-I saw
that by being lowered down upon still
another ledge could 10y leaning
over. probably get = shot. i In the
meantime fhe animals did not make OF
MY guide carried coil Of stout cord,
and this dashed firm'y about my waist:
then. braclng against the rocks that
gave me the smallest foothold, l com
menccd the descent, foot by foot and
inch by inch, hanging literally by
'nread over tne valley below. was %
excited ~ me prospect q getting ne
game mat ana not rcai'ze me danger.
ana kept on cautiously until reached